If you slip and fall onto a hard surface, you might suffer life-altering consequences. It is true that not everyone experiences an injury from a fall. However, people who do get hurt sometimes end up with persistent health problems and even a potentially deadly condition.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes some negative outcomes which may occur following a fall.
Broken bones
The force of a fall could break one or more of your bones, especially if you are a senior citizen. Depending on what part of your body impacts the ground, you may fracture a hand, wrist, ankle, leg, or arm bone. Some bone breaks can be serious if they inflict damage to major organs.
Hip fractures are another cause for concern. Older people who suffer a hip injury may not be able to walk again even after a hospital stay.
Blows to the head
A fall that causes a head injury could be deadly because of brain damage and internal bleeding. Older people who are on blood thinners may be at greater risk of bleeding after a head injury. Even if no symptoms appear shortly after a fall, sometimes brain injuries cause serious problems later on.
Psychological trauma
Falls do not only inflict physical harm. You might develop a fear that you will fall again even if you did not get hurt. Some older people reduce their physical activities so they do not fall a second time. However, this cuts down on exercise, which could cause frailty and boost the chance of another fall.
Falls are a serious matter, which means property owners should take care to protect you and other visitors from unnecessary hazards. Otherwise, the owner may become liable for your medical costs following a fall.
